Syracuse Basketball: Tyus Battle lands invite to NBA Draft Combine
By Neil Adler
Syracuse sophomore sensation Tyus Battle has secured a bid to the NBA Draft Combine, which takes place in about two weeks.
Tyus Battle will soon head to the Windy City.
Battle, a sophomore wing on the SU hoops outfit, has reportedly secured an invitation to the 2018 NBA Draft Combine, according to a CuseNation.com article that cites Battle’s father as the source.
The combine will occur on May 16-20 in Chicago, per NBA.com. I’ve read online in a few spots that roughly 60 guys will get a berth to attend this multi-day event.
An April 24 press release from the NBA states that underclassmen who have entered into this year’s draft, but ultimately want to return to college, must withdraw by May 30.
Battle has declared for the 2018 NBA Draft, which is slated for June 21, but he has not hired an agent, which gives him the option to come back to Central New York for a junior campaign.
One of the top scorers in the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2017-18, Battle helped lead the Orange to a surprising run to the Sweet 16 this past March.
While a handful of mock draft boards have him projected to go in the first round, the majority of prognosticators still target Battle as a second-round selection at this juncture.
The thought, however, is should he perform well at the combine, that could certainly elevate his
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draft stock. And, if the information he receives at this event is that Battle will likely land in the first round, then I would expect him to sign with an agent and forgo his final two years of collegiate eligibility.
Unsurprisingly, Battle will encounter some fierce competition, as 236 players have filed as early-entry candidates for the upcoming draft, says the NBA announcement.
I’m rooting for Battle no matter what decision he makes. He’s a terrific advocate for SU basketball. Head coach Jim Boeheim echoed that sentiment in an April 27 Syracuse.com story.
Among his comments, Boeheim said that Battle’s “been great for us. He’s helped our program probably as much as (anybody) for two years that he’s been here. … We’d love to have him back, but we want him to do what he thinks is best for him.”
"As far as the 2018 NBA Draft, Boeheim noted this about Battle: “If he gets in a good position, I think he would stay in. But you just don’t know where it is. He has not made up his mind. In some cases, guys have kind of made up their mind. I think he’s open-minded.”"
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Like I wrote a week ago, you have to admire Battle’s character and maturity.